Stenkrith - Nateby - Lammerside Castle - Stenkrith

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An attractive and varied walk, the start of which can be reached easily by foot from the market town of Kirkby Stephen or from Kirkby Stephen Station on the Settle to Carlisle line.

The route follows the River Eden, passing the ancient Wharton Hall and taking in the atmospheric ruins of Lammerside Castle. Lammerside Castle was a 12th century fortified property, rebuilt and strengthened in the 14th century as a Pele tower, to provide protection against Scots raiders. It is in a very ruined state but you can wander through its foundations.

Just beyond Lammerside we continue to visit the site of some Bronze Age cairns and some 'pillow mounds', known locally as the Giant's Graves. Far from being burial mounds these are actually medieval rabbit warrens, created and carefully protected to house what was then considered a culinary delicacy. You will need to look carefully on the slopes just above the river to find them.

It's possible to continue further still on an optional extension to visit Pendragon Castle, which sits in an evocative setting in the Mallerstang valley. The castle is of the same age as Lammerside and there is slightly more of it left.

If you're lucky you might see the famous Kirkby Stephen macaws that fly freely around the area.

We have re-done this walk to start from a new car park by Stenkrith Park. Hence the comments made by others about the footbridge are no longer strictly relevant, although you may come that way from Kirkby Stephen town centre. Overall the walk is essentially the same as before, but with a short extension to take in some historical features in the Mallerstang valley.